'KITCHENER'S SCHOOL.'

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 29, 4 February 1899, Page 1 (Supplement)

'KITCHENER'S SCHOOL.'

'Kitchener's School,' Eudyard Kipling's apropos ballad in the 'Times' of the Sth, though not up to the 'Recessional' level, is excellent. 'Kitchener's School' is a translation of the song that was made by a Mohomrheclan schoolmaster of the — Bengal Infantry (some time on service at Suakiin) when he heard that the Sirdar was taking money from the English to build a Madrissa for Hubshees—a college for the Sudanese. The ballad opens thus: —

Oh, Hubshee, carry your shoes in your hand and bow your head on your breast!! This is the message of Kitchener who did not break you in jest. It was permitted to him to fulfil the long appointed years, Reaching the end ordained of old over your dead Emirs.

The Sirdar's great, crushing of the Dervishes is then rehearsed, and the schoolmaster's listeners informed that Kitchener comes again with a second host, 'an army to make you wise.'

Not at the mouth of his clean-lipped guns shall ye learn his name again, But letter by letter, and many letters, at the mouth of his chosen men. He has gone back to his own city, not seeking presents or bribes. But openly asking the English for money to buy you Hakims and scribes.

The only conclusion the schoolmaster can come to is that the English and Kitchener are mad: —

Certainly they were mad from of old; but .[ think one new thing That the magic whereby they work their magic—whercfrom tlieir fortunes spring— May be that they show all people their magic and ask no price in return. Wherefore, since ye are bond to that magic, O, Hubshee make haste and learn! Certainly also is Kitchener mad. But one sure thing 1 know— If he who broke you be minded to teach you, to his Madrissa go! Go, and carry your shoes in your hand and bow your head on your breast. For he who did not slay you in sport he will not teach you in jeat.

As Clement Scott is to lecture in Australia and New Zealand next year you may like to know a little about him. Mr .Scott is not an old man—he is only in his fifty-eighth year. He was bora, the son of the Rev. William Scott, Vicar of St. Clave, Old Jewry, at Christ Church Parsonage, Hoxton, on 6th October, 1841, and was educated at Marlborough College, under the late Dr. Cotton, Bishop of Calcutta, and Dr. Bradley, the present Dean of Westminster. Like so many other successful writers, Mr Scott began to earn his living us a clerk in a Government office in 1860. He retired (on a pension) as long ago as 1579. when he joined the regular staff of the 'Daily Telegraph,' to which paper he had already contributed special articles and dramatic criticisms since 1873. Even earlier than that he had been dramatic critic to the 'Sunday Times' and 'Weekly Dispatch' and the 'Observer.' By way of relaxation, Mr Scott has written poems for recitation, running Mr G. R. Sims close in homely pathos. He has also done much 'to boom Cromer and the Norfolk coast by persistently, writing up Toppyland/ It is, of course, well known that he is the author of 'The Garden of Sleep,' to which Isidore tie Lara's music gave so tremendous a vogue. Whilst Hilda, Spong has been earning golden opinions from the dudes of New York in 'Trelawney of the •Wells' her parent, W. B. Spong, has been busy on Drury Lane pantomime, which will boast several scenes from his brush. Mr Spong has also work in several other metropolitan Christmas annuals.